Ray Gelato & Simon Spillett

About

Ray Gelato and Simon Spillett are both well-loved cornerstones of the UK jazz scene, Ray with his hugely popular Giants, Simon with his big band and quartet. Tonight they come together to celebrate a shared passion for their instrument of choice: the tenor saxophone. Admirers of the rich tradition of jazz tenor, their repertoire focuses upon the core elements of great songs and a hard swinging rhythm section. If you love the classic, melodic, swinging sax sounds of US masters such as Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, Dexter Gordon & Gene Ammons then this is the gig to be at! And expect plenty of on-stage fun too, as these two fine musicians retain the ideal of jazz as great entertainment. “Britain’s “Godfather of Swing”, singer and saxophonist Ray Gelato” Observer; “Spillett’s playing was rhapsodic, open and rich….[a] shimmering purity of tone was also very much in evidence and there were cries of ‘Wonderful’ from the audience” UK Jazz News